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Shyam Metalics Plant Shut Over Pollution Violations: India Struggles to Enforce Environmental Rules Amid Rapid Growth

Another widely cited assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment tracked pollution across industrial clusters and found that environmental quality in several of them worsened between 2009 and 2018, despite regulatory oversight. When authorities ordered the closure of a steel plant in Odisha, it appeared to be a clear case of enforcement. The unit, run by Shyam Metalics & Energy Limited, had been found violating multiple environmental norms. Inspectors reported emissions far above permissible limits, untreated wastewater leaving the premises, and hazardous waste stored in the open. The violations were not minor. Particulate emissions were recorded at more than five times the allowed level. The plant is now shut. But the incident raises a larger question that extends far beyond one factory. As industry expands, who is ensuring that environmental discipline keeps up? Industrial Pollution in India The scale of the issue is not small. A detailed analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water found that industry contributes significantly to India’s air pollution burden, especially in concentrated zones where factories operate at scale. Another widely cited assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment tracked pollution across industrial clusters and found that environmental quality in several of them worsened between 2009 and 2018, despite regulatory oversight. These are not marginal effects. They point to a pattern. Pollution in India is not just an urban traffic problem. It is also shaped by where and how the country produces. Industrial Clusters Pollution Hotspots If you map India’s most polluted regions, a pattern emerges quickly. Industrial belts stand out. From steel and cement to chemicals and power generation, these clusters bring jobs and investment. They also concentrate emissions in ways that are hard to ignore. Air, water and land degradation often move together in these regions. A government-backed classification of “critically polluted areas” has repeatedly identified industrial zones where environmental stress has crossed safe limits. The Odisha plant fits into this geography. It is not an exception. It is part of a system. Rapid Industrial Growth in India India’s growth story is closely tied to manufacturing. States compete to attract factories. Industrial corridors are planned. Clearances are fast-tracked to keep projects moving. The logic is straightforward. More industry means more jobs, more output, more growth. But regulation has to move at the same speed. Research published by Springer Nature on environmental enforcement in India notes that pollution monitoring is often infrequent, sometimes limited by staffing and technical capacity. In several cases, large plants are inspected only periodically, not continuously. That creates a simple problem. Pollution happens every day. Monitoring does not.

Life at the water's edge: a Lancet Commission on sea-level rise, health, and justice

As seas rise in a warming world, the advancing waterline is reshaping daily life for hundreds of millions of people, presenting an escalating and uneven threat to health and wellbeing.1 Sea-level rise is amplifying existing health inequities, driving new patterns of disease, accelerating displacement, and eroding the social, cultural, and ecological foundations of health. The impacts and risks of sea-level rise along low-lying coasts are increasing, including a loss of land and livelihoods, trauma and injury from coastal flooding and storm surges, increased transmission of waterborne and vector-borne diseases as sanitation systems fail, contamination of freshwater supplies, disruption of food and nutrition security, escalating eco-anxiety, and profound multispecies and ecosystem harm.2–4 Sea-level rise rarely acts in isolation, but combines with other climate hazards, creating cascading risks and becoming a powerful multiplier of climate-related vulnerabilities across the life course. Elevation modelling under high-emissions pathways indicates that up to 410 million people are projected to live on land below the high-tide threshold by 2100.5,6 Small Island Developing States and countries across the Western Pacific region are already experiencing extreme impacts, despite minimal contribution by these countries to driving emissions.1,4 In 2024, Western Pacific Health Ministers called for urgent global attention, improved governance, and accelerated action to protect populations from the health consequences of sea-level rise.7 This political mandate is a central impetus for the Lancet Commission on sea-level rise, health, and justice, which brings together multidisciplinary expertise from six continents, including intergenerational leadership. The Commission will analyse how sea-level rise reshapes health and wellbeing and deepens injustice, proposing actionable responses for governments, communities, and global institutions. We will examine how rising seas are transforming health and wellbeing across geographies and generations, and what responses, anchored in justice, rights, and solidarity, can protect those living by the water's edge. The Commission's work is guided by three principles: connection, imagination, and justice. Connection recognises that health, culture, environment, and place are inseparable from rising seas, and essential to preserve distinct traditional and cultural groups, identity, and ways of being and knowing. Imagination enables responses beyond current policy and scientific frames, to encompass human and environmental wellbeing. Justice ensures that populations most vulnerable to sea-level rise are minimally impacted, and compensated as necessary, and is a means of accountability; community voices need to shape the narrative and proposed solutions. These principles inform the structure and mandate of five transdisciplinary Commission Working Groups. Following our inaugural Commission meeting in Seoul, South Korea, in September, 2025, each Working Group will produce a comprehensive evidence review, prioritise gaps, and define modelling in partnership with international scientific collaborators. Concurrently, Working Groups will engage with regional affected communities, grounding evidence in lived experience and reflecting local priorities and realities. Working Groups will be organised around ocean modelling and epidemiology, including waterborne and other diseases;2,6,8 culture, connection, and place;9–11 law, policy, and justice (existing legal instruments and future needs);12,13 economics and technology;14,15 and ethics and values.16,17 Our global Commissioners' wide-ranging academic specialties and diverse life experiences will help ensure that proposed adaptation strategies are equitable, intergenerational, and grounded in shared ethical principles and values. Community engagement is central to the work of this Commission. Many coastal and island communities live with the realities of saline intrusion, coastal erosion, and cultural disruption. By weaving together lived experience, First Nations Knowledges, Indigenous sciences, and robust scientific analyses, the Commission aims to create an integrated account of the health and wellbeing implications of sea-level rise, and the solutions required. Commissioner 'Ofa Kaisamy describes a need for “reimagining the future, with community at the core” for a partnership between science, local leadership, political commitment, and sustainable financing that will drive action and advance health equity. The Commission will present frameworks and recommendations designed for adoption by governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society, with mechanisms for accountability and sustained action. Findings will be amplified through health-focused events at the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Seventh Assessment Report (IPCC AR7), the World Health Assembly, and other global fora to encourage coordinated and justice-oriented responses. Life as experienced at the water's edge not only impacts coastal peoples, but also affects communities and populations everywhere. As the haunting Indigenous Pacific Islander proverb, shared by Commissioner Brianna Fruean, reminds us, “What is felt on the coast, will soon be felt inland. What is felt by the East, will also be felt by the West”. Competing Interests SD is employed as a Director by WHO. KB reports institutional grants from the Wellcome Trust, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and WHO; consulting fees from Green Climate Fund; travel support from WHO; and is a member of the Port Philip EcoCentre Committee of Management. AP reports grants from the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council and Madjulla; and is a Representative Member of Kimberley Land Council, Executive Chair and Director of Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, Managing Director (voluntary) of Madjulla, Deputy Chair of the Australian Peace and Security Forum, and a Patron of Sustainable Populations. TL was Executive Editor at The Lancet from 2013 to 2023 and is now a Consulting Editor; she receives fees from WHO as consultant Secretariat for this Commission and is an unpaid member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Embedding Ethics into Health and Climate Change Policy. JC is a Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. RH is the Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet. We declare no other competing interests. CF, KB, and JC are Co-Chairs, SD, OK, and AP are Commissioners, and SD and TL are the Secretariat Leads of the Lancet Commission on sea-level rise, health, and justice. The Commissioners of the Lancet Commission on sea-level rise, health, and justice are Christiana Figueres, Kathryn Bowen, Jiho Cha, John Coggon, Sandro Demaio, Kristie Ebi, Brianna Fruean, Georgiana Gordon-Strachan, Jim Hall, Christina Hicks, Cunrui Huang, ‘Ofa Kaisamy, Ilan Kelman, Ho Kim, James Logan, Jemilah Mahmood, Susan Mercado, Sunita Narain, Anne Poelina, Nicole Redvers, Matilde Rusticucci, Vera Siesjö, Brett Sutton, Michael Taylor, Morgan Wairiu, and Wanga Zembe.

Ula, small town in Nadia ranks 10th globally as highly air-polluted city

“The latest results underline the importance of shifting the focus from specific cities, as being the current policy, to aggressively targeting key pollution sources across entire airsheds with speed and scale to protect public health,” said Anumita Roy Choudhury, an air pollution expert with the Delhi-based environmental thinktank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Ula, a small town in Bengal near Ranaghat in Nadia, also known as Birnagar, is the 10th most air-polluted city in the world in 2025, according to a global report released on Sunday. The World Air Quality Report 2025, published by IQAir, shows that Ula and some towns on the fringes of Calcutta are some of the most polluted cities in Bengal. Calcutta has seen better air quality post-COVID, but it is still more polluted than the national average. It has been pushed to 77th rank globally with an annual average of particulate matter 2.5 — refers to fine atmospheric particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres — of 51 micrograms per cubic metre in 2025. India’s average is 40 micrograms. PM 2.5 pollutants are tiny and hence extremely dangerous as they can invade deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing serious cardiovascular and respiratory health problems. IQAir combines satellite data with real-time ground-based data, including government stations and low-cost sensors, to measure and map air pollution across the world. Ula, the historic heritage town famous for its 18th-century mansions and temples, has a population of around 40,000. It was found to have a PM2.5 of 86.8 micrograms per cubic metre in 2025. The figure is more than 17 times the World Health Organisation’s specified safe guideline of 5 micrograms. The West Bengal Pollution Control Board’s remote sensor-based air pollution measurement, as showcased by IQAir, showed that Ula had a PM2.5 value of 113 micrograms and air quality index (AQI) of 191 at 7pm on Sunday, vindicating the trend. This AQI is expected to trigger breathing discomfort for people with lung and heart diseases. According to the World Air Quality Report 2025, a copy of which is with The Telegraph, Madhyamgram and Barrackpur on the northern fringes of Calcutta, and Baruipur on the southern fringes were the most polluted cities after Ula in Bengal. Howrah, Bali, Durgapur, Asansol, Calcutta, Haldia and Siliguri are the other most polluted cities in Bengal. Asked why Ula had such high air pollution, Kalyan Rudra, the chairman of the state pollution control board, said on Sunday evening that it was difficult to track the exact reason without proper groundwork. "However, Nadia has a very high cropping density that may play a role by producing high levels of dust,” he said. Another official pointed out: “We need to see if small local industries such as rice mills and the like are pushing up pollution in the region.” The global report, which covered 9,446 cities across 143 countries, found that five of the 10 most polluted cities in the world were in India. Loni, a small town 20km from Delhi, was found to be the most polluted in the world, with a pollution level over 22 times that of the WHO guideline limits, followed by Byrnihat in Meghalaya ranked third globally. Delhi and Ghaziabad ranked fourth and seventh globally, respectively. Among countries, Pakistan was the most polluted, followed by Bangladesh. India has been ranked sixth. “The latest results underline the importance of shifting the focus from specific cities, as being the current policy, to aggressively targeting key pollution sources across entire airsheds with speed and scale to protect public health,” said Anumita Roy Choudhury, an air pollution expert with the Delhi-based environmental thinktank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

India’s farmers between policy promises and harsh realities: Double income or double crisis?

In a country that proudly calls itself agrarian, the continuing suicides of farmers and agricultural labourers remain a moral and policy failure. The scale of distress is not anecdotal; it is starkly visible in data compiled by institutions such as the Centre for Science and Environment. In 2021 alone, 10,881 people linked to the agricultural sector died by suicide—an average of nearly thirty lives lost every day. This was the highest figure in five years, surpassing even 2016, when 11,379 such deaths were recorded. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent broken households, abandoned fields, and a deepening crisis that refuses to recede. The timing of this spike is telling. While the country grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers were also engaged in prolonged protests against the Centre’s three agricultural reform laws. Amid this turbulence, states like Maharashtra reported 4,064 suicides, followed by Karnataka with 2,169 and Madhya Pradesh with 671. Even relatively prosperous agricultural regions such as Punjab and Haryana recorded distressing figures. The question that emerges is unavoidable: why did suicides rise again despite repeated policy assurances and relief measures?

Delhi unveils anti-air pollution plan for 2026; experts seek 'tangible targets'

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said the government needs to have a report card on the targets it has set. “What we are looking for now are actual implementation measures, not just announcements. What happens to their seasonal plans? These tend to be immediate, reactive responses.” Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced the rollout of the Air Pollution Mitigation Action Plan 2026, positioning it as a shift towards measurable, outcome-driven clean air governance. However, even as the government outlined an ambitious multi-sector strategy, experts cautioned that without strong enforcement, tangible targets, and long-term consistency, the plan risks repeating the shortcomings of previous efforts. Gupta held a review meeting and stressed that clean air and environmental protection are now central to the government’s policy framework, backed by dedicated budgetary allocations for clean mobility, dust control, waste management, greening, and pollution monitoring. The action plan released on Friday focuses on key sources of pollution – vehicular emissions, road dust, construction activity, industrial discharge, and biomass burning – through a scientific, data-driven approach, the government said. It identifies 11 priority sectors with clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and real-time monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance. Gupta stressed that the government has a “zero-tolerance” policy towards polluting vehicles. She said the “No PUC, No Fuel” rule is being strictly enforced, supported by cameras that automatically detect number plates. Expanded bus fleet, restrictions to vehicles entry From November 1, entry of goods vehicles into Delhi will be restricted to those compliant with BS-VI norms or powered by CNG or electricity. Non-essential traffic inflow will also be regulated. In periods of severe pollution, the government may consider staggered office timings, work-from-home directives, and additional restrictions on polluting vehicles for immediate relief. The government has set a target to expand the bus fleet to 13,760 by 2028-29, prioritising electric buses. Integration of metro and RRTS networks with feeder buses, e-autos, and shared mobility services is expected to improve last-mile connectivity and reduce dependence on private vehicles. To accelerate electric mobility, 32,000 EV charging points will be installed over the next four years. The upcoming EV Policy 2026 will focus on two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, alongside transitioning government fleets to cleaner fuels. To mitigate dust pollution, the government is deploying mechanical road sweepers, water sprinklers, and anti-smog guns on a large scale. Mist spray systems are being installed across roads and mandated for large buildings. Nearly 3,500 km of roads are being redeveloped with paved surfaces, green buffers, and utility ducts. A scientific road asset management system and time-bound pothole repair mechanism aim to eliminate dust at the source and improve durability. The government has set firm deadlines to eliminate legacy landfill sites—Okhla by July 2026, Bhalswa by December 2026, and Ghazipur by December 2027. The air quality monitoring network is being expanded alongside the creation of a centralised Green War Room and an Integrated Command and Control Centre. Ward-level “Vayu Rakshak” teams will be deployed, while the 311 platform will be upgraded to enhance citizen reporting The government has also set a target of planting 7 million trees, shrubs, and bamboo in 2026-27, with a long-term goal of over 10 million plantations. Experts sceptical Despite the government’s ambitious announcements, experts expressed concern that the plan largely repeats old measures. Dipankar Saha, former head of CPCB’s air laboratory, said, “We have already seen enough plans over the years. What this plan needs is tangible targets and the government needs to monitor the base emission load and quantify the possible reduction in terms of emissions. Year-on-year, we need to target a reduction.” Sunil Dahiya, founder and lead analyst at Envirocatalysts, said while the full plan is not yet in the public domain and will have to be assessed, implementation remains the key – which has been lacking in previous years. “We have plenty of plans but we suffer from poor implementation every time.” Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment, said the government needs to have a report card on the targets it has set. “What we are looking for now are actual implementation measures, not just announcements. What happens to their seasonal plans? These tend to be immediate, reactive responses.” Aarti Khosla, director at the think-tank Climate Trends, said the plan largely appears to have similar measures as last year’s plan. “Broadly, there is not much that is new here. However, the fact that they’re looking to plan for pollution in advance – ahead of winter – is important and we need year-round focus on air pollution.”

ट्रैफिक जाम के खिलाफ हमारी जंग, हर वक्त, हर जगह लगने वाले जाम से दिल्ली परेशान, ऐसे होगा जाम से मुकाबला

सिस्टम को करें इंटिग्रेट: दिल्ली में लगने वाले जाम लोगों की सेहत पर भी सीधा असर पड़ रहा है। गाड़ियां रुक-रुक कर चलती हैं, जिससे ज्यादा धुआं निकलता है। जाम में फ्यूल भी ज्यादा खर्च होता है। ज़रूरत है कि इंटिग्रेटेड पब्लिक ट्रांसपोर्ट सिस्टम मज़बूत हो। साथ ही वॉकिंग और साइकिलिंग के लिए सुरक्षित इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर बनाया जाए। -अनुमिता रॉयचौधरी, एग्जिक्यूटिव डायरेक्टर - रिसर्च, सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) ब्रिटेन के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री ऋषि सुनक ने भारत मंडपम में आयोजित 'इंडिया AI इम्पैक्ट समिट' के दौरान 19 फरवरी 2026 को तंज कसते हुए कहा था कि आर्टिफिशियल इंटेलिजेंस (AI) बहुत कुछ कर सकता है, लेकिन दिल्ली के ट्रैफिक को ठीक नहीं कर सकता। इससे एक नई बहस छिड़ गई थी, क्या वाकई राजधानी में ट्रैफिक के हालात इतने बुरे हैं? जाम के कारण क्या हैं? ट्रैफिक पुलिस के पास इन्हें दूर करने के लिए क्या रणनीति है? अन्य सरकारी विभागों से किस तरह से तालमेल किया जा रहा है? हम लेकर आ रहे हैं एक खास सीरीज, जिसमें एनबीटी के रिपोर्टर राजेश सरोह समस्याओं की जड़ तक जाकर पड़ताल करेंगे और एक्सपर्ट से मिलकर उपाय भी सुझाएंगे।

How the Yamuna appeared relatively ‘cleaner’ during Chhath Puja in Delhi last year

Out of the 20-plus drains that merge into the Yamuna after Wazirabad, two drains cause over 80% of the pollution load: Najafgarh (70%) and Shahdara (14%), as per a report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Every year, during the preparations for and festivities of Chhath Puja in Delhi, there is a rise in discourse around the pollution that plagues the holy Yamuna river as it passes through Delhi. Visuals of people standing in the river while surrounded by toxic foam on river create a temporary uproar which also fuels political parties like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to point fingers at each other. Yamuna’s passage across Delhi, especially the 22-kilometre stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla (which constitutes under 2% of the rivers total length of 1,400 kilometres) contributes to around 76% of the pollution load of the river, as per official data, majorly due to the several drains that merge into the river in this stretch. The discolouration of the river water, from being almost transparent at the northernmost sampling location (Palla) to severely discoloured along with foam at Okhla, is also evident as The Hindu reported earlier this month. Just before the commencement of the Chhath Puja festivities on October 25, the Haryana government diverted nearly all the water from the Hathnikund Barrage towards Yamuna, thereby, diluting the holy river water’s pollutants, as reported by The Hindu in October 2025. This “unprecedented” step by the newly-formed BJP government, that came back to power in Delhi after 27 years, was met with backlash by AAP, did improve the water quality, as the data shows. Every month, the water quality is sampled across eight locations by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) as shown in the map below. The water enters Delhi at Palla, where the quality of the water meets the standards set by the Central Pollution Pollution Control Board (CPCB) as the highly polluting Najafgarh drain flows into the Yamuna downstream of the Wazirabad bridge.

सरकार खाद्य मिलावट से सख्ती से निपटे, खाद्य वस्तुओं की दोहरी कीमत न रखी जाए

पाया गया था कि चीन से आयातित एक विशेष प्रकार की चीनी को शहद में मिलाकर एफएसएसएआई के परीक्षण मानक को भी पास किया जा सकता है। राजधानी दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट द्वारा किए गए शोध के अनुसार भारत में बेचे जा रहे शहद के 70 नमूनों में से केवल 3 ही अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकृत हो सके थे। हानिकारक तेलों और पशु-चर्चा का व्यापक रूप से इस्तेमाल सड़क किनारे के ढाबों और कुछ भोजनालयों में मक्खन के रूप में किया जाता है। केंद्र और राज्य सरकारों को इस संबंध में आवश्यक कदम उठाने चाहिए, जिससे देश में मिलावटी ‘मक्खन’ का उपभोग संभव न हो सके। तिरुमाला तिरुपति देवस्थानम में कुछ साल पहले लड्डुओं के पवित्र प्रसाद में मिलावटी घी के उपयोग की चौंकाने वाली घटना सामने आई थी, जिससे यह साफ हो गया है कि ऐसे निवारक कदम उठाए जाएं जिससे हलवाइयों और भोजनालयों द्वारा इस प्रकार का मिलावटी देसी घी उपयोग में न लाया जा सके। देसी घी के निर्माता का ब्रांड-नाम और दूसरी जरूरी जानकारी अनिवार्य रूप से भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा तथा मानक प्राधिकरण (एफएसएसएआई) के साथ साझा की जानी चाहिए। यूपी में मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ ने निर्देश दिया कि सभी खाद्य केंद्रों के संचालकों, मालिकों और प्रबंधकों का नाम और पता प्रदर्शित किया जाए, साथ ही रसोइयों और वेटरों के लिए मारक व दस्ताने पहनना अनिवार्य किया जाए, इसके साथ ही होटलों और रेस्तरां में सीसीटीवी कैमरा लगाया जाना भी जरूरी है। हिमाचल प्रदेश सरकार के मंत्री विक्रमादित्य सिंह ने भी इसी नियम के पालन की इच्छा जताई है। सभी राज्यों को ये कदम उठाने चाहिए। हमारे यहां भोजनालयों के भंडारों में चूहों का भागना-दौड़ना बहुत आम है, जिससे रसोई गंदी होती हैं। एफएसएसएआई ने खाना पकाने के लिए बार-बार तले जाने वाले तेल के नियंत्रण पर महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाया है। क्योंकि बार-बार ऐसा करने यह तेल हमारे स्वास्थ्य के लिए गंभीर खतरा बन जाता है। समय आ गया है कि भोजनालय चाहे कितना छोटा क्यों न हो, वहां आरओ जल-शुद्धिकरण यंत्र लगाना से जरूरी है। शाकाहारी और मांसाहारी भोजन के लिए रसोई के बर्तन अलग-अलग हों, ताकि शाकाहारी लोगों को भावनाओं का सम्मान किया जा सके। केंद्र सरकार को चाहिए कि वह योग की तरह अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर शाकाहारी भोजन को बढ़ावा दे और सभी सरकारी आयोजनों में केवल शाकाहारी भोजन ही परोसा जाए, इसे सुनिश्चित किया जाना चाहिए। अयोध्या और मथुरा जैसे पवित्र शहरों में हिंदुओं की भावनाओं के अनुरूप मांस की बिक्री पहले से ही प्रतिबंधित है, वहां शाकाहार को बढ़ावा मिल रहा है। इसलिए भारत सरकार को संयुक्त राष्ट्र से संपर्क करके 1 अक्टूबर को विश्व शाकाहार दिवस मनाए जाने का अनुरोध करना चाहिए, स्कूलों और रेलगाड़ियों में ताजा पकाए गए भोजन की जगह ब्रांडेड पैक्ड खाद्य पदार्थ मिलने चाहिए। आए दिन ऐसी रिपोर्ट्स देखने को मिलती हैं कि स्कूलों में मध्यान्ह भोजन के रूप में पकाए गए चावल और दाल घटिया क्वालिटी के हैं। यहीं नहीं उनमें कीड़े-मकोड़े, मेंढक, छिपकली और चूहे तक पाए जाते हैं। इसलिए पैक्ड भोजन ज्यादा भरोसेमंद होगा, सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने 19 अप्रैल 2021 को केंद्र और राज्य सरकारों से उन रिपोटों पर टिप्पणी मांगी थी, जिनमें कहा गया था कि भारत में प्रसिद्ध कंपनियों के लोकप्रिय ब्रांडों में भी मिलावटी शहद बेचा जा रहा है। पाया गया था कि चीन से आयातित एक विशेष प्रकार की चीनी को शहद में मिलाकर एफएसएसएआई के परीक्षण मानक को भी पास किया जा सकता है। राजधानी दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट द्वारा किए गए शोध के अनुसार भारत में बेचे जा रहे शहद के 70 नमूनों में से केवल 3 ही अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर स्वीकृत हो सके थे। खाद्य वस्तुओं की दोहरी कीमत न रखी जाए भारत सरकार की सार्वजनिक कंपनियां तमाम सुविधाएं और सब्सिडी पाकर भी कोई अंतरराष्ट्रीय रैंकिंग क्यों नहीं पाती हैं। इसी संदर्भ में इंडियन रेलवे कैटरिंग एंड टूरिज्म कॉरपोरेशन तथा मदर डेयरी के प्रबंधन से पूछा जाना चाहिए कि सार्वजनिक पैसे के भारी निवेश के बावजूद आखिर वे विश्व के शीर्ष 100 ब्रांडों में अपनी जगह क्यों नहीं बना सके? सरकार को पानी की बोतलों और खाद्य वस्तुओं की दोहरी कीमत की अनुमति भी नहीं देनी चाहिए, एक सामान्य कीमत खुले बाजार के लिए और दूसरी उड़ानों, थिएटरों और पांच सितारा होटलों के लिए, यह उपभोक्ता-विरोधी प्रथा बंद होनी चाहिए,

Double Income or Double Crisis? A Bitter Question from Farmers

For our agrarian country, the suicides of farmers and agricultural labourers are a shameful reality. In a single year, more than ten thousand farmers and agricultural labourers have taken the extreme step of suicide. According to data published by the environmental organization Centre for Science and Environment, in 2021, 10,881 people associated with the agricultural sector died by suicide. This means that in 2021, the number of people committing suicide daily was around thirty. The death toll in this single year is the highest in the last five years. While the country was battling the global COVID crisis, this was certainly a challenging time. At the same time, farmers stood in protest against the three agricultural reforms introduced by the central government. In 2021, Maharashtra recorded the highest number, with 4,064 farmers and agricultural labourers committing suicide, which is noteworthy. This was followed by Karnataka with 2,169 and Madhya Pradesh in third place with 671. In Punjab and Haryana, the number of farmer and agricultural labourer suicides was 270 and 226 respectively. Earlier, in 2016, about 11,379 people related to agriculture had committed suicide. After a decline in these numbers in previous years, why did the suicide rate rise again in 2021? This must become a matter of concern for us. In fact, one of the major reasons for this increase is the decline in food grain production due to unpredictable climate changes in recent times. Moreover, pest attacks on crops and the fall in market prices of agricultural produce, along with rising input and farming costs, have made farming increasingly difficult. Farmers are not even getting the benefit of Minimum Support Prices, yet the government continues to beat the drum of doubling farmers’ income. Farmers often take loans to recover their losses and then get trapped in a cycle of debt. The humiliation and harassment by moneylenders and middlemen, along with depression, make suicide seem like the only option for them. Today, farming has become a loss-making occupation for farmers. As a result, either farmers are committing suicide or their children are leaving agriculture in search of a better future. In such a situation, it is natural to question what happened to the central government’s promise of doubling farmers’ income. Today, there is an urgent need to implement policies that ensure farmers receive fair prices for their produce. It is unfortunate that we are unable to protect the lives of the food providers who contribute significantly to the country’s food security through their hard work. There is a need for a practical evaluation of why the policies announced by various governments to increase farmers’ income are not reaching them in reality. Helping farmers cope with the harmful effects of global warming on crops at all levels is the biggest challenge. Efforts must be made to boost farmers’ morale. Along with this, there is a need to diversify crops to protect them from excessive rainfall and to increase production. Improved seed varieties must be developed that can provide sufficient productivity even with less water and higher temperatures. For this, agricultural scientists and agricultural universities must work on a war footing. Otherwise, not only will farmers suffer huge losses, but the country’s food security could also be at risk. The reality is that a farmer or agricultural labourer embraces death only when all doors seem closed to them. In resolving this, the role of the government, society, and voluntary organizations becomes crucial. Even before the start of the summer season, reports of water scarcity in many parts of the country indicate an alarming situation. The latest data from the Central Water Commission clearly shows the severity of the growing water crisis in India. The data indicates a worrying decline in water levels in reservoirs across the country. According to the report, by April, the water available in major reservoirs across the country has decreased to about thirty percent of their storage capacity. This is a significant drop compared to recent years and points toward drought-like conditions. It is being said that the root cause of this is the El Niño phenomenon. In reality, the decline in water storage is due to insufficient rainfall over a long period. As a result, drought-like and insecure conditions have emerged in many areas. In fact, people in the eastern and southern parts of India are facing this crisis. Moreover, due to continuously rising temperatures, groundwater levels are rapidly decreasing. Due to its severe impact, water scarcity has become serious in states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The country’s IT hub, Bengaluru, is facing a severe water crisis, which is affecting not only agriculture but also daily life. Its impact goes beyond immediate concerns. We must accept that the agricultural sector, considered the backbone of the country’s economy, is currently facing many complex challenges. These are adversely affecting various crops. One of the reasons is that even today, half of the country’s cultivable land depends on monsoon rains. In such a situation, the future of agriculture depends entirely on the normalcy of the monsoon. In this context, the meteorological department’s forecast of a normal monsoon brings hope but can also create uncertainty. In such circumstances, to face any impending crisis, there is a need to intensify water conservation efforts—from households to all agricultural practices and industrial activities. There is also a pressing need for large investments in water infrastructure and management systems to improve water storage and distribution efficiency. Along with improving agricultural practices, efforts should be made to reduce water usage through crop diversification so that the effects of drought can be minimized. At the same time, there is a need to promote traditional water conservation techniques. Moreover, awareness campaigns should be conducted to encourage people to use this precious natural resource wisely. Undoubtedly, there is an urgent need to recognize the dangers of the impending water crisis and take swift and decisive steps to secure the future of coming generations.

Rethinking Every Drop: The Innovators Solving India's Water Crisis At Both Ends

If new sources are one aspect of the solution, reuse is the other. A recent report, Waste to Worth by Centre for Science and Environment, India generates over 72,000 million litres of sewage per day, yet more than 70 percent is discharged untreated. Currently, only about 28 percent of wastewater is treated, highlighting both a gap and a significant opportunity. Summer arrives early these days. Recent data from the Central Water Commission shows that reservoir levels across India stand at just 54 percent of total capacity, with several regions already facing localised deficits. The total live storage of water across 47 reservoirs in South India has already dropped to 47.66 percent of capacity. In Tamil Nadu, Sholayar stands at 31 percent of normal water levels and Vaigai at 38 percent. Meanwhile, 91 percent of India’s 719 districts have received no rainfall since March 2026 and the monsoon is still months away. This is not a seasonal dip. It reflects a deeper structural stress that is becoming increasingly predictable. According to the analysis published by The Guardian and Watershed Investigations, New Delhi is among 38 of the world’s 100 largest cities experiencing “extremely high water stress,” where withdrawals for public supply and industry are nearing available limits, driven by resource management gaps and accelerating climate pressures. At the national level, NITI Aayog warns that by 2030, water demand could double the available supply. The question is no longer whether India faces a water challenge but how it can accelerate solutions that are already emerging. Beyond Rivers and Reservoirs One of the most promising shifts is the move towards alternative, climate-resilient water sources. Air contains nine times more water than all the world’s rivers combined and Bengaluru-based Uravu Labs has been harnessing this resource. Using desiccant materials, Uravu captures moisture from ambient air and converts it into potable water using solar and biomass energy, commercialised as ‘Water from Air.’ Since inception in 2017 the company has conserved over 2.07 lakh litres of groundwater and prevented the use of 3,400 tonnes of single-use plastic. Atmospheric water generation represents a decentralised and climate-resilient approach. Unlike traditional sources such as rivers and groundwater, both vulnerable to variability, the moisture in the air does not deplete with use. For a country where reservoirs are already under pressure before peak summer, this offers a meaningful shift in how water can be sourced. The Second Life of Water If new sources are one aspect of the solution, reuse is the other. A recent report, Waste to Worth by Centre of Science and Environment, India generates over 72,000 million litres of sewage per day, yet more than 70 percent is discharged untreated. Currently, only about 28 percent of wastewater is treated, highlighting both a gap and a significant opportunity. Water circularity, where wastewater is treated, reused, and reintegrated into systems is increasingly central to long-term water security. Indra Water, a startup based in Mumbai, exemplifies this “reuse at source” innovation. Its patented ElectroX technology enables up to 99 percent recovery of industrial wastewater through electrochemical treatment, without the need for added chemicals. The process reduces lifecycle costs by 35 percent and shrinks spatial footprint by up to 90 percent. To date, Indra Water has treated and recycled over 2.5 billion litres of wastewater, eliminated more than 8,500 tonnes of harmful chemicals, and reduced over 10,000 tonnes of sludge. Building for the Long Term: Systems That Secure Water Futures While innovation is critical, long-term water security requires systems. This means moving beyond fragmented interventions to integrated infrastructure that can sustain water availability across decades. Generational water safety depends on sustained investments, efficient distribution systems, real-time monitoring, and policy frameworks that incentivise reuse and conservation. Technologies such as AI-driven treatment systems, IoT-enabled monitoring, and decentralised water solutions are enabling this transition, transforming water from a finite resource into one that can be managed, optimised, and reused. Ecosystem Momentum and the Path to Scale India’s water innovation landscape is seeing growing momentum across startups, investors, and institutions. Recent investments, such as Megaliter Varunaa securing INR 15 crore to advance urban water circulation, highlight increasing investor interest in scalable, technology-led solutions. Scaling these solutions across cities and industries will require the right mix of capital, collaboration, and execution. Just as important is adaptability, ensuring these innovations can seamlessly translate across diverse geographies and real-world water challenges, delivering impact where it matters most. India does not lack solutions, it risks falling short on speed. Today’s solutions are not hypothetical. They are being built, tested, and scaled, drawing water from the air, recovering it from waste water, and managing it through smarter systems. What remains is the urgency to connect these efforts with capital, policy, and adoption at scale. The sky offers a new source. The drain can be repurposed. The opportunity now is to build the systems that make both count.

How banks continue to ignore climate disaster-induced debt

As India is convulsed with industrial development-induced climate emergencies — heatwaves, pollution, heavy rains, floods, and more — not a day passes without a climate disaster. The country witnessed 99% of the disaster days in 2025, according to a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). As people lose lives — 4,419 in 2025 as per the CSE study — livelihoods, property, and health, each episode of disaster inevitably turns into a financial catastrophe. A major aspect of the financial aftermath is the debt obligations on small borrowers — personal, retail, or agricultural — which loom on those who have lost loved ones, assets, and sources of livelihood. What are our banks and financial institutions doing to relieve the financial stress of the disaster-affected? In the recently concluded winter session of parliament, the Ministry of Finance’s response to Congress MPs’ questions on loan relief provided to individual borrowers and small traders by scheduled commercial banks in the aftermath of floods, landslides, and intense rainfall-related damages from 2019 onwards paints a profoundly disappointing picture. This is at a time when India is beset with climate disasters. The report Mapping Climatic and Biological Disasters in India, co-published by the National Institute of Disaster Management, states that between 1995 and 2020, India was struck by 1,058 extreme weather events, including floods, cyclones, droughts, heatwaves, and cold waves. Flooding was the most frequent hazard, making up about one-third of all events. Heatwaves were the next most common at nearly a quarter, while droughts constituted just over one-fifth. Cold waves accounted for around 16% of the total, and cyclones, which had the smallest share, accounted for roughly 5%, the report notes. The Climate Risk Index 2026, released during COP30, estimates that “between 1995 and 2024, India witnessed 430 extreme weather events, leaving 80,000 dead, 1.3 billion affected, and ₹170 billion in losses.” Loan waivers as climate disaster relief Against this backdrop, the Indian bank’s response to the financial devastation borders on indifference if not apathy. From 2019-20 to 2025-26, there is a complete absence of loan waivers for either individual borrowers or small traders in any state or year! This holds across all categories — agriculture, individuals, and small traders. The data shows that for banks, “loan waiver” — the complete cancellation of debt obligation — as a relief measure is effectively non-existent in climate-disaster contexts. Write-offs, too, are almost entirely absent. With the exception of one instance in Kerala (FY 2023-24), where write-offs amounting to ₹11.7 million were approved for individual borrowers, no write-offs have been reported for small traders in any state. This indicates that write-offs are not being provided for disaster survivors. A write-off occurs when a hard-to-recover loan is removed from a bank’s balance sheet. Technically, the borrower can still be approached by the bank to recollect the written-off loan.

Rajasthan’s Sacred Groves Vs India’s Solar Ambitions: Why Are Locals Protesting?

According to Binit Das, a renewable energy expert at Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), rooftop solar power systems signal a strong move towards decentralised clean energy. According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) report dated December 2025, 23.9 lakh households had installed rooftop solar systems toward the target of one crore households by March 2027 under the PM Surya Ghar scheme. From coastal villages to forest heartlands, The Quint is telling the full story of how climate change is reshaping lives and ecosystems in India. Help us do more. Become a member. Pankaj Bishnoi is a resident of Khetolai, a village in Jaisalmer’s Pokhran tehsil, which lies close to the international border and is best known for India’s twin successful nuclear tests conducted in 1974 and in 1998. Here, the orans, or the sacred groves, are dedicated to Guru Jambheshwar, a spiritual leader revered by the Bishnoi community as its founder. Pankaj Bishnoi, who grew up in this arid landscape, tells The Quint that in the desert, the existence and survival of communities depend on these deified biodiverse woodlands. “Every village typically has an oran characterised by high biodiversity, especially the unique khejri trees that can even survive in drought. The size of orans varies from 10,000 bighas (2,500 hectares) to 60,000 bighas (15,000 hectares). The oran in Khetolai covers 5,000 bighas (1,266 hectares),” Bishnoi says. “Wildlife, and even our cattle, depend on them,” he adds. For centuries, life went on as usual in this harsh yet unique landscape. Today, however, the rapid expansion of renewable energy projects, locals like Bishnoi allege, is endangering the survival of their sacred orans.

Why Iran war has forced India to bring kerosene back to the kitchens

We still need to build systems that can withstand disruptions without reverting to sources that were phased out,” says Binit Das, programme manager in the Renewable Energy unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi. India’s decades-long effort to phase out the use of kerosene, once the lifeline of household energy, has been abruptly brought to a halt. In a rare move, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has temporarily relaxed petroleum safety and licensing rules, allowing the distribution of kerosene through retail outlets, including petrol pumps in 21 states and Union Territories (UTs) for 60 days. The decision comes amid global supply disruptions linked to the ongoing war between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has strained LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) logistics and raised energy security concerns. Under the notification, the government has allowed oil companies to store up to 2,500 litres of kerosene per retail unit and distribute it for cooking and lighting. However, this emergency rollback poses a deeper question of how kerosene, which was once essential as a domestic energy source, became obsolete, only to resurface in a crisis. Why was kerosene once India’s lifeline household fuel? For decades after Independence, kerosene was central to India’s energy economy. It was widely used for both cooking and lighting by rural and low-income households, especially before LPG and reliable electricity became widespread. Many families depended on kerosene stoves for meals and lamps for illumination, making it an integral part of everyday life. The fuel was distributed among 160 million households (around 800 million people) by the government through the Public Distribution System (PDS) for cooking and lighting purposes, according to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. The government heavily subsidised kerosene to ensure affordability, particularly for poor households lacking access to cleaner fuels. What led to the decline of kerosene in India’s energy system? Over time, India’s kerosene distribution system, built around heavy subsidies and the public distribution system, began to show structural weaknesses. Rising subsidy burden By the early 2000s, kerosene was one of the most heavily subsidised petroleum products in India, with the government bearing a large share of the cost to keep it affordable for households. Reports show that kerosene subsidies accounted for government spending of about 0.01 per cent of GDP in 2010–11. Even in more recent years, before being phased down, the centre continued to incur substantial expenditure, and the subsidy bill ballooned as global crude prices rose. For example, the kerosene subsidy stood at ₹7,339 crore in 2015–16, before declining to ₹3,259 crore in 2020–21 as allocations were reduced, and then to zero in 2022–23, according to the ministry’s annual budget documents. Diversion and black marketing One of the major concerns with subsidised kerosene was that a substantial amount of it did not reach the intended beneficiaries. Research and government-related studies show that there was widespread diversion of PDS kerosene into the black market, with estimates suggesting that around 40–45 per cent of PDS kerosene was diverted. Inefficiency and leakages Beyond diversion, the broader PDS system suffered from systemic inefficiencies that affected kerosene distribution. Government and independent studies highlighted: Poor targeting of beneficiaries, with ineligible households often receiving supplies Weak monitoring and outdated beneficiary databases How did policy shift drive the phase-out of kerosene? By the mid-2010s, the Government of India started to systematically reduce its dependence on kerosene in the following ways: By cutting allocations to states By launching Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) pilots for kerosene By persuading states to voluntarily scrap the quota system As a result, states such as Delhi have scrapped the supply of kerosene. How did LPG expansion under Ujjwala change household energy use? The turning point in the decline of kerosene use in the country came with the rapid growth in LPG access, which transformed the way in which households’ energy needs were fulfilled. The launch of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in 2016 marked a major policy shift. The scheme was designed to provide LPG connections to women from poor households on a subsidised basis, reducing their dependence on conventional fuels such as kerosene and firewood. Since its rollout in 2016, the scheme has provided over 105.7 million LPG connections to beneficiaries, as of February 23, 2026, according to the PMUY dashboard. The growth in LPG access was accompanied by efforts to improve LPG distribution networks, improve last-mile delivery, and promote sustained usage. As LPG coverage widened, the use of kerosene began to decline rapidly. Some states began to reduce their allocations towards kerosene, with some considering stopping the distribution of kerosene completely. How sharply have kerosene production and consumption declined? According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s India Energy Statistics 2025, India’s kerosene economy has shrunk considerably in recent years, with production reducing by 83 per cent from FY17 to FY24. Production fell from around 6 million metric tonnes to almost 1 million metric tonnes. Consumption reduced even more, from 5.30 million metric tonnes in 2017 to merely 0.30 million metric tonnes in 2024. This is a reduction of around 94 per cent. This transition was also driven by growing evidence on the health risks of indoor air pollution caused by traditional fuels, reinforcing the need for faster adoption of cleaner alternatives. This shift led to a policy focus on: Subsidising a non-polluting fuel instead of a polluting fuel Moving from kerosene to LPG Moving from mere survival to better health, safety, and dignity, particularly for women The growth in LPG access, therefore, was not just about replacing kerosene with LPG, it was about redefining the link between household energy use and public well-being. Why is kerosene making a temporary comeback in India now? The revival of kerosene in India’s energy mix is linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia, which have disrupted global fuel supply chains and created uncertainty in the availability of petroleum products. The government is trying to reduce pressure on LPG. Although LPG continues to be the primary cooking fuel in most households, disruptions in fuel supply have prompted the government to take measures to ensure that the energy requirements of households, particularly for cooking and lighting, are not adversely affected. The petroleum and natural gas ministry has introduced temporary measures to ease the fuel supply situation in the country. These include: Relaxation of kerosene distribution norms, allowing greater flexibility in storage Retail-level distribution of kerosene through petrol pumps Use of PDS stock-keeping units (SKU) to supply kerosene to specific states and UTs These measures are aimed at providing short-term safeguards and draw on an existing but largely phased-out system, enabling the government to quickly deploy an alternative fuel option in times of crisis. “This is a classic energy security move. In times of crisis, governments fall back on legacy systems that still exist. And even though bringing back kerosene addresses the immediate energy crisis, it also raises concerns around indoor air pollution. But putting everyone on electric sources of energy also comes with challenges, as a large number of people cooking together will put pressure on the grid. The temporary return of kerosene signals that, on one hand, India retains fallback options, but, on the other hand, it also highlights underlying vulnerabilities. We still need to build systems that can withstand disruptions without reverting to sources that were phased out,” says Binit Das, programme manager in the Renewable Energy unit at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in New Delhi. Kerosene’s story in India is not merely the journey of a fuel, but of the country’s broader economic and policy transition. From a period of scarcity, when subsidised distribution was essential, to years of reform aimed at reducing financial burden and leakages, and shifting towards cleaner energy and sustainability targets, to now, when it reappears as a temporary fallback in response to external shocks.

The Climate Without, The Hunger Within

For more than three decades now, the evidence on climate change has been accumulating with a consistency that science rarely achieves. Each year’s measurements confirm and extend the last. The warming is real, it is accelerating, and its costs are being paid unevenly, falling heaviest on those who contributed least to producing it. This much is established beyond reasonable argument. And yet something in us does not quite respond to it as established fact. The Centre for Science and Environment’s State of India’s Environment 2026 report offers the latest occasion to notice this. In 2025, extreme weather events struck on ninety-nine percent of all days between January and November, killing 4,419 people and destroying 17.41 million hectares of cropland; four years ago, the crop damage figure stood at just over 2 million hectares. Thirty states and union territories experienced extreme weather for eight consecutive months. The report additionally warns that seven of the nine planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for life on earth have now been breached, among them climate change, freshwater depletion, and ocean acidification, whose acidity has increased by thirty to forty percent since the industrial era. The Germanwatch Climate Risk Index 2026 ranks India ninth among the most climate-affected countries across the last three decades. These are not projections. They are last year’s account, and the year before that, and the year before that, each worse than the one preceding it.